one; [voice]; more than a little worried here

[theredredkrovvy]

A warden? [Alex has just woken up in his room to the sound of the pairing announcements.] Poor little Alex thought he'd had enough of wardens, let alone a sharp. I don't need a devotchka to watch me; I've changed. I've been a dobby little malchick, though I was dratted and like guffed at besides, and they played that music so as to make my gulliver

Comments

Private

[thebestnose]

[Well...just gonna go with what she understands.]

That would be me. Your warden, I mean. I haven't...heard from you at all. Do you even know where you are?

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

Ah. [Awkward sort of pause while he pushes nasty thoughts down.] Greetings, sister warden. I... understand a little about this staja now, thank you. The Barge, yes?

Private

[thebestnose]

Yes. A rehabilitation ship. I have your file but...it will take some time to get through it.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

Rehabilitation after I have already been like rehabilitated seems a gloopy waste of time. The scientist vecks and the doctors fixed me up right as right, sister, with the technique of theirs.

[...] But what's this about a file? You have a file on me, warden? Where didst thou come upon such a veshch?

Private

[thebestnose]

My name is Jane, not warden. And the Admiral gave it.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

[Silence for a little while.]

Who is this like Admiral, then, sister Jane? The veck that runs this ship, righty right?

Private

[thebestnose]

Yes. He's the one who brought us all here. The one we made our deals with.

So he is to be simultaneously loved and hated.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

Deals, is it? Ah, I think I nachinat to viddy a malenky bit more clear now. You're not a regular chasso--that is to say, a guard--at all, are you? Not like them that man the staja, I mean.

[His tone remains innocent and he sounds very young.] Why is he hated, o my sister?

Private

[thebestnose]

...what? No. I'm not a regular guard.

As for the Admiral, well, he holds power. And people who hold power are often hated for any slight made against the people they control.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

Does he control you?

Private

[thebestnose]

For now. But only because I've allowed him to in order to fulfil my deal.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

What is your deal, sister?

Private

[thebestnose]

That's another discussion for another day.

Let's talk about what you remember, and why you're actually here.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

What I remember, sister? Why, I remember the music the writer veck and his droogs played, those angel trumpets and devil trombones.

As for why I am here, why don't you tell me?

Private

[thebestnose]

To be truly rehabilitated. As what happened to you wasn't the right way.

Private

[theredredkrovvy]

Not the right way?